Mountain Zebra National Park

The park covers 6 536-ha and set in the magnificent, mountainous Karoo country near the town of Craddock in the Eastern Cape. This bracing and beautiful mountain wilderness, interspersed with the gentle valleys and grassy plains of the Little Karoo, has been described as South Africa’s most scenic national parks. Mountain Zebra Park is also the setting of the rescue from extinction of one of the world’s most endangered species, the Cape mountain zebra. The park saved the zebras from extinction, and currently their population stands at over 350. The Cape Mountain Zebra differ from plains or Burchell's zebra, they have narrower stripes, no shadow stripes and there faces have an orange colour. In addition to the Cape mountain zebra, the park has herds of several other species of large game such as eland, springbok, red hartebeest, kudu and black wildebeest. The two of the park's more recent game reintroductions are the African buffalo and the rare black rhino. At least 200 bird species have been identified so far. There is also a three-day, two-night hiking trail which rates as one of the finest in South Africa.

Lying across a plateau just 25km south of-west of Cradock, the Mountain Zebra National park is typical of the Eastern Cape’s Karoo country, with a colourful variety of such local plant species as Karoo aster, globe Karoo and Koggelmandervoet karoo. Here the aloe and bush-covered mountains roll down to valleys where acacia, wild olive and white stinkwood spring up between the short-tufted grasslands. Mountain Zebra National Park has a large game concentration on the area known as the Rooiplaat Plateau around the curves of one of the game-viewing roads. At any given moment, about 85 per cent of the large herbivores in the park will be found here. The reason is that the Rooiplaat consists of sweet grassveld which the grazers prefer to the sour grasses and Karoo scrub covering most of the rest of the park. This occurs because the park is not divided into ‘camps’ and the animals roam freely where they choose.

How to get there
The Mountain Zebra National Park lies 12 km from Cradock on the road from Middelburg to Graaff-Reinet. The access road and all the roads in the park are good, but untarred. The gate opens daily from 7 am to 6 pm.

Accommodation
1. Somerset House is situated in the quietest part of a quiet town and backing on to the Bosberg. It is tranquil, scenic and restful.

2. Mossievale Guest Cottage is situated on a quiet tree-lined street from the heart of historic Graaff-Reinet. It is ideal for a refreshing overnight stop and as a relaxing holiday house for a longer stay.

3. Wilton Guest Farm is a short distance off the N10 between Somerset East and Paterson, with a good dirt road for access.

4. Angler and Antelope guesthouse is situated centrally in the town of Somerset East. The location of the guesthouse makes access to the fishing waters around the town of Somerset East hassle free.

5. Electrified caravan and tent camps with communal ablution facilities, all set within the picturesque mountain panorama. There are also cottages, a restored Victorian homestead and Mountain Zebra Guest House.